Seeds from plants that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima are to be planted at a botanical garden in the Siberian town of Irkutsk. Among the 67-year-old seeds are Japanese persimmon and bay laurel.

­Some 170 types of plant survived the attack on Hiroshima. Their seeds have been carefully preserved and have been given national-heritage status in Japan. Russian scientists say they are not radioactive.

Russia will become the first country other than Japan to plant some of the seeds. They will eventually be planted in 200 cities around the world.